The Silent Fog

The essay examines the concept of boredom in religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis. In the English language, the French word ennui, as well as boredom, covers a spectrum of indifference. Ennui, however, refers to a more or less chronic state of mind, while boredom has, in most cases, both a cause and a boring object. This essay is most concerned with ennui, or profound boredom, which it explores through a range of phenomena from denial and melancholia to disillusionment and waiting.